


Ascendance

by Momiji_K



Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2020-08-12 02:47:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20132638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Momiji_K/pseuds/Momiji_K
Summary: "Do not fret my child. For the wicked will have their reward."A drabble story.





	1. Lost Time

**Author's Note:**

> BLANKET DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything from the Final Fantasy franchise and make no profit from this story.  
I posted this story a very long time ago and recently became gun-ho with wanting to rewrite it. It was orginally a crossover with a completely different series, but I didn't make them fit very well together.
> 
> Instead of a long prose I wanted to try my hand at a drabble after getting incredibly inspired by Drosselmeyer. We'll see where this goes. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to tell me what you think!

The mottled white haired boy’s breathing grew even more labored as he ran from his pursuers. Gun shots reverberated about him before one tore through his back lodging between his ribs. He fell to the ground in a pained gasp as his body became wrought with spasms.  
  
It didn’t take the poison in materia based bullets long to act. He needed to move fast, but everything just hurt so much. He looked painfully behind to see his pursuers running closer.  
  
As quickly as his body would allow Sephiroth got up to try and make up his lost time and distance.


	2. And He Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own any of the Final Fantasy franchise and make no profit from this story.

An irate voice shouted, "You idiots, I said stop him not kill him! You're damaging my experiment!"

The boy recognized the voice as Shinra’s infamous Professor Hojo. Sephiroth locked his jaw against the pain, his body’s nerves screaming in protest, and he rose. 

'That’s right. I’m just an experiment.'

His pace, now slowed to an ambling stumble, carried him long enough until he made it into a forest thicket. Listening as the boots of the soldiers ran by Sephiroth tried to stifle his labored breathing with his hands and waited. What wouldn’t he give for this to be over forever?


	3. Shinra's SOLDIER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own any of the Final Fantasy franchise and make no profit from this story.

Shinra SOLDIERs.

The army that the President of Shinra wanted. Super humans and superior warriors. Those that survived the mako infusions were never quite right afterwards. It didn’t take long for the change to manifest into something too dangerous to control. 

‘More monster than warriors.' the boy thought. ‘I never asked to be one.’ 

When the sounds of the heavy boots faded away Sephiroth could finally breathe a bit easier. He staggered through the forest as quietly as he could, crunching too noisily through dried foliage and underwood. The usually noisy creatures of the night fell silent at his presence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sephiroth was probably subject to witness and had to do some really gruesome things against 'failed' experiments in his upbringing. Throughout FFVII Hojo was said be really whacked out so I don't think it's farfetched to assume that he wouldn't put a child through horrendous stuff for the sake of science.


	4. Living for Shinra

Breathing became hard with each step he took. The forest was too thick and fatigue with his injuries made it hard to navigate past them. 

But he had to keep going. 

The further he went the closer he could be to freedom. The walk was agonizingly slow. Everything hurt. His wound bled out profusely even with his mako treated body working overtime against the damage. He almost regretted running from his scheduled mako shower. His body would've regenerated the loss of blood before it got too bad. 

But maybe death was better than living for Shinra. 

The thought brought tears. 


	5. A Beautiful Place to Die

He no longer knew which way he was going or even how long he walked. He focused on trying to remain conscience enough to find someplace safe. 

`Everything hurts.` 

He missed the raised root in his path and fell. This time he didn’t have the strength to catch himself. Sephiroth couldn’t find the will to try standing again. He stayed limp on the invitingly soft ground. Sight was hazed, his body quieting from over exertion, and his heaving chest began to slow from agonized breathing to barely noticeable. 

Yet, he managed the quiet thought, 'What a beautiful place to die.' 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really believe that Sephiroth was a poor unlucky kid that drew the crappiest lot to life when he was born, or best depending on what you think about his endgame. He must have tried to escape at somepoint no?


	6. Promise

Outside the forest a town bustled with excitement. A girl sat outside a modest house and watched as men ran by. 

One shouted,

"If we don't find that kid we’re dead so move it!"

The girl wondered who they spoke of. There were only so many children here. Her father told her that they would have visitors, but to stay out of their way. ‘They’ll try to take you away from me if you don’t. Promise Papa you’ll avoid them and not draw attention to yourself.’

He made her promise to not do many things while they lived in Banora.


	7. Come Play

"Ami" a stern voice said beside her, "We should probably just stay inside for a bit."

Amelia looked up at the tall dark haired teenager in the now opened doorway. She’d been waiting what felt like forever for him to come out since Ms. Hewley left. "But Angeal you said you’d come play with me! You promised."

“And we still can. Just not outside.”

“Why? Cause of the Soldiers?” Angeal hummed an affirmative that made the 10 year old frown.

“I promised your father to look after you today.”

These Soldiers were really putting a damper on her plans today.


	8. Springs

Amelia sighed. 'I suppose papa did say to stay away from them.'

“Fine. She agreed in a surprisingly un-petulant tone, "But can we go to the springs at least? They’re out of the way. I’m sure those Soldiers won’t even be there and we can come right back!”

Angeal mulled it over a moment. She was right that the springs were secluded enough that hardly anyone went to them. Not since her mother’s accident anyway.

People thought it strange that Amelia would want to spend so much time there even if the hot waters likely did her frail form good.


	9. Cumbersome Fools

Hojo seethed in the confines of the underground laboratory. He wondered how much the 3rd class SOLDIERs offset the result of all his hard work.

If the boy died it would be 13 years of fruitful results wasted. How could those fools even think to use their weapons? The whole point in bringing it out all this way was to test his durability in a less controlled setting.

‘I should've simply employed the 1st class SOLDIERs for this. I didn’t think I’d need this much outside assistance for this experiment.'

The President's low class SOLDIERs were nothing but cumbersome fools.


	10. Hollander & Hojo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are 10 chapters in and so far I'm liking how this is turning out. It's been a pain to make things fit canonically, but it's been fun making things connect. The FF VII general story on top of the Crisis Core lore has been intrestng to sift through though.

Hollander was more than pleased at the kerfuffle. Hojo continued to ruminate as his assistants worked to connect the subpar space into a viable mako treatment chamber.

The has-been Shinra scientists were still forbidden to aide in any of the top tier projects since the Project G mishap. They were relegated to the menial task of researching if Mideel's area was stable enough for a Mako reactor. It was essentially construction work and gardening for the likes of Hollander.

The mirth Hojo let slip made a white coat lad cast a wary eye to him which made him chuckle again.


	11. Imperfect

New SOLDIER recruits were injected with Jenova cells, but they developed too imperfectly to be of permanent use. It was logged that aged bodies didn’t take to them as well as a fetus.

When the fools found Sephiroth preparation would be multiplied 10 fold. Hojo scowled at the data sheets on the screens. He expected to be rewarded greatly for all this. Of course there were other subjects that could be used should the boy turn out to be a failure.

He much preferred if he were a success. He would hate to have to share any credit with Hollander.


	12. Dumbapples

The two walked down a familiar path together.

"Hey, when do you think the dumbapples’ll be ready?" Amelia asked.

Angeal gave a hum in thought, “Probably soon. Genesis is better at guessing though. Let’s ask him later.” Amelia scowled.

“You ask him. Geny’s always mean to me.”

“Maybe if you didn’t call him that he wouldn’t be so mean.”

“Then he shouldn’t be so mean so that I would call him that.”

“You both aren’t going to make up if neither of you apologize you know.” Angeal cajoled.

Amelia huffed and Angeal sighed in exasperation of his two only friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was probably Genesis' fault anyway, because when is it not? Btw 'dumbapples' are the local name for the 'Banora White Apples' from Crisis Core.


	13. Understand Pain

It felt very warm here. He also didn’t hurt nearly as much anymore. He tried to open his eyes, but it was too hard. He was so comfortable and the warmth wrapping around him so very soothing.

Sephiroth couldn’t remember ever feeling this calm. It was peaceful. Until he heard someone crying.

Why would anyone be sad here? Where even was here?

‘Please!’

‘Who is that?’ he thought.

‘Please…’

It was a shapeless voice neither male or female, young or old. It seemed more like a whisper than a solid sound.

‘Everything hurts…please.’

Sephiroth could understand pain at least.


	14. the Same Fate

“Please!”

Amelia was near hysterical to get to the inert figure prone on the spring’s shore.

“Amelia we need to leave and get help!”

“I can help him! You go and I can stay and help!”

“We don’t even know if they’re alive!”

“They are, but they’re dying. Angeal please!”

He tried to hold her back before she broke away from him.

“You go get someone and leave me then!”

“Amelia…”

Dr. León wouldn’t forgive him if something happened to her. He already lost his wife here. What if Angeal accidently led the doctor’s beloved daughter to the same fate?


	15. Crazy

Angeal was caught in indecision until Amelia tried to turn the body over.

He finally snapped out of it to try and stop her from whatever she was attempting. She looked so determined. He could see the remnants of tears on her face.

“We need to get him into the spring.”

Then, Angeal was aghast at the red water around the body. She wanted them to go into it? With this probable dead person?

Maybe Amelia was going crazy.

He remembered overhearing her mother did before Ami was born. He truly hoped she wasn’t. Her father probably couldn’t handle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure Angeal tried to be a good and supportive friend even as a teen.


	16. It Wasn't Just Her Voice

They waded into the shallows of the pool with the body between them. What happened after cut through Angeal’s panicked thoughts like a sharp axe through wood.

The spring started to glow softly. The crimson threads that slipped slowly through the water receded back to the unconscious form. Amelia’s eyes were closed as she murmured fervent pleas of ‘please, please, please’. The air became warmer with every whisper. The ambient glow turned into a vibrant spectacle of light varying between both viridian and soft azures.

But he noticed the louder Amelia spoke it wasn’t just her voice he was hearing.


	17. Brace Yourself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things have been getting busy with the turn of the season here so I apologize for the sparse posting. It's about time for these three to meet soon ya?

‘It’s time to wake up now.’

Do what now? Sephiroth had a difficult time thinking beyond the warmth. So nice…

‘Brace yourself. It won’t last long.

What did that even mea— then there was pain so sharp and so sudden it stole his breathe. It shot up his back; it attacked every nerve on its path.

It felt both familiar and foreign. Did they find him? Was he on Hojo’s table being injected with who knew what again? His back burned and burned, but he couldn’t move.

Of course he would be strapped down. He was never a willing participate.


	18. It'll Be Alright

“Amelia?” Angeal all but whispered.

Her utterances continued while she gazed down at the other boy with hooded eyes. Her usually umber orbs were a very unusual marine blue. The color fluctuated with the changing hues in the water.

Was she controlling them? How was she doing it? Would the water affect them? Where were the other voices coming from?

Angeal then realized that she was looking at him. New rivulets calmly flowed down her face. Her eyes still the same hue.

“It’ll be alright now.”

But her voice was not.

He shook his head in confusion, “Who are you?”


	19. Safe

As they pulled the sputtering and gasping figure to the spring's shore Angeal’s mind was reeling.

‘Please don’t tell them.’ the voices through Amelia beseeched.

‘Tell who? What did you make Amelia do?’

‘She is safe.’ Whoever or whatever that was in her weren’t great with answers.

Ami’s eyes had since gone back to their dark brown much to his relief. But she was so quiet.

Angeal dragged the boy further up the bank himself when the weight was no longer lightened by the water.

He dropped him unceremoniously in a coughing heap when Amelia collapsed at the water’s edge.


	20. Help Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are 2000 words in and I still have more notes written than story. Keeping to only 100 words a chapter has been a challenge, but it really is making me look at how I write with a different eye. Thank you for reading this far!

Amelia felt very sleepy. She never tried anything like that before. Usually she would only talk to her momma at the hot springs not ask her to help heal dying people.

But when Amelia heard her momma say that she could help him of course she listened. She was glad Angeal helped too; though he looked scared.

She wouldn’t let him get in trouble though since it was her idea. Amelia didn’t want her papa to be mad at her friend for her choice.

She wished she could tell everyone about momma, but papa got so upset whenever she tried.


	21. Protective

Whoever told him to ready himself had terrible timing. Sephiroth laid on the ground coughing and sputtering as his body recovered from shock.

He instinctively curled into himself to try staving off any more possible paroxysms of pain. It took a long moment for the fit to cease before he could take in air without expounding it nosily.

When it did stop he could hear a boy’s voice franticly speaking and a hushed one answering. 

Sephiroth opened his tired eyes. They took another moment to adjust to the dim light before settling on the boy protectively holding a small girl.


	22. Save Him

“I think she saved your life.” the black haired boy told him. “How? Why?” Sephiroth couldn’t help asking the second question and the boy looked at him strangely for it.

“I don’t know how she did it, but what do you mean why? You needed help. Why wouldn’t you get help if you were in trouble?”

Sephiroth didn’t have an answer to that. He learned there were always reasons for the things that happened to him, but he didn’t always understand them.

In that moment, especially, he couldn’t comprehend why anyone that wasn’t with Hojo would want to save him.


	23. Light

The late afternoon waxed to early evening as the three made their way back to Banora. The silver haired boy was wary of going anywhere near the town and Angeal could hardly find fault with his feelings. He said it was the SOLDIERs that almost killed him.

Yet, he said wanted to make sure Amelia was well and truly fine.

“Angeal could you put me down?”

“I will when we get home.”

“I’m not a baby I said I’m fine!”

“You sure whine like one though.” Sephiroth quietly listened to their bickering wondering why it made him feel so light.


	24. Momma

Sephiroth’s curiosity finally found its way out of him.

“What were you doing out here anyway?”

Amelia’s petulance was interrupted by his question. Angeal looked grateful for the reprieve. “We were going to visit my momma.”

Curiosity turned to confusion. “Your mother lives near the springs and not in town?”

“Not exactly…”

His confusion turned to Angeal for clarity. He offered no explanation as they walked on.

Amelia let out a hum and fretted her lip in consternation as she pondered for words. After a moment she made up her mind to say,

“My momma’s soul lives at the springs.”


	25. Care

Sephiroth was at a loss on what to say. Amelia didn’t seem particularly perturbed by what she said. She just quietly looked onward to the path they walked while in Angeal’s arms.

When he looked at Angeal he could see tension on the boy’s face.

‘Maybe they’re effected by her death?’

Sephiroth only had an inkling of what loss was. He mostly studied on how people died or could die. Not how the people left felt about it.

When the scientists interacted with him they did their tasks before he was left to his own devices.

What did ‘care’ mean?


End file.
